The Game Slave 4
by 3DPhantom
Summary: A combination of Gaz's rare Game Slave 4, Dib's Membrane/Paranormal device, and Zim's deadly Irken technology sends Zim and Dib to a new world. Now they must work together to escape with their lives, and neither of them is happy about it! Sorry I suck at summaries. Rated T. No Slash. Dedicated to Jhonen Vasquez, his crew, and the new Invader Zim comic coming out on July 1st 2015!
1. Chapter 1: Before the Storm

Now Presenting My New Story…

 ** _THE GAME SLAVE 4_**

 **A/N: Hello Everyone! This is only my second Invader Zim fiction, and the first one was a one-shot. Much like that one, Dib and Zim don't let each other die, though they do try to kill each other from time to time. Still, I can't promise that Gaz won't kill them. Zim and Dib are enemies who help each other for mutual benefit. Frenemies, if you will, just like my first Invader Zim story.**

 **There are NO PARINGS in this story. Not with Gaz, not the boys with each other, nothing. No romance at all. Just pure action, humor, and hopefully AWESOME. It's a gamer's dream. (Meaning my dream. And yes, I count as a gamer.)**

 **Invader Zim belongs to Jhonen Vasquez, whom is my Goth King and forever will be. I dedicate this to him, and shout a big freaking HELL YEAH about the new Invader Zim comic coming out on July 1** **st** **2015! As fans, it will be our job to BUY THE DAMN COMICS and make sure the Zimiverse LIVES ON FOREVER! If enough comics are bought, THEY'LL NEVER BE DISCONTINUED! NEVER!**

 **RISE, FANS! RISE AND SUPPORT OUR GOTH KING IN HIS CREATIONS! And hey, enjoy my story while you're waiting for the next comic issue. ^^**

 ** _Chapter 1: Before the Storm_**

It was a dark and twisted afternoon, which was exactly usual for the young Paranormal Investigator Dib and the Irken Invader Zim. Zim was currently screaming and running down the street in a panic. Skool had just ended, and Dib was wielding some new technology created from some paranormal junk he'd ordered and the inter-dimensional device his father had created. Dib promised it would "send the alien scum to the worst universe imaginable." Whether or not Zim believed that it would work, he ran.

Zim was coming up close on his house, and Dib knew by experience that if Zim made it inside it would mean bad news. Dib fired his dimensional ray, an unsatisfying click sound being produced along with a clunking of metal in the gun. Gray smoke puffed out and Dib coughed as he inhaled some. Zim slammed his front door shut.

"Damn it," Dib said. He slouched and turned to head home when, unexpectedly, the door to Zim's house re-opened. Zim stood there, as tall as he could, holding what looked like a very dangerous Irken gun. "Oh crap," Dib said before running off down the street. Suddenly their rolls had been switched and Dib was running for what he assumed would be his life.

"There's no escaping me now, filthy Earth-Stink! _I am ZIM!_ " Zim ran after him, leaving the safety of his home in favor of chasing the Big-Headed boy.

They both sprinted down the streets, nearing Dib's house. Unlike how Dib always stopped at Zim's door, both boys ran into the house, Zim clearly not caring about intruding. The only reason Dib stayed out of Zim's house was because of Zim's defense anyways. If the Dib-Human was too stupid to have proper defenses for his home, then why shouldn't Zim just run in?

The clearest answer was Gaz.

Gaz was sitting at the dining table playing on her super rare Game Slave 4. Only one hundred of them had ever been sold because of their mysterious power source. No one knew how they ran, they were never drained of battery power, and they had strange effects on other advanced pieces of technology. After a case where one made a flying car crash into a government building, the GS4 had been discontinued and they were currently working on a GS5. Gaz hadn't been able to buy one herself, but she had tracked someone down and done horrible things to them in order to have theirs.

She was currently playing "Vampire Piggy Hunter, Extreme Rare GS4 Edition" with ultra sound and High-Definition effects. Gaz had to admit, whatever they'd put into this Game Slave, it was amazing. It was drastically different than the other Game Slaves. Didn't run out of power, had surround sound with only the one speaker, a holographic projector screen, and the bonus effects on technologies that could kill people. It was everything Gaz could ever hope for, and more. She didn't care how it was made as long as it was hers.

Dib came running into the room, Zim following behind him. They were screaming and running circles around the table Gaz was still sitting at. The force that she pressed her buttons with increased as the pestering noise continued. Her eye started twitching until finally she'd had enough. She slammed her GS4 onto the table and stood. Her chair was pushed back in the motion and moved directly into Dib's way. He tripped on it, landing on the floor, and soon Zim was tripping on Dib's big head, falling down on top of him.

"Oww. My head," Dib complained. The force of falling on the floor and Zim falling on him rattled his brain. Zim struggled to stand up.

"Filthy Earth-Pig! Get off me!" Zim said angrily.

"You're the one who fell on me!" Dib replied.

"YOU LIE!" Zim screamed, finally having stood. He pointed his ray at Dib. Dib rolled to the side, grabbed his own device, and got up. They were now pointing their rays at each other and screaming.

"Your foolish technology doesn't ever work!" Zim said.

"So?! Maybe it'll work this time!" Dib responded.

"Pft. As if! It'll never work!"

"Will too!"

"I'm holding Irken technology! You'll be dead soon, so I wouldn't worry about it!" Zim laughed maniacally. Gaz growled.

She reached forward and pulled the devices from each of them, throwing them on the table. Both of them tapped the GS4.

"If you two don't shut up, I'll rip out your organs and blend them into a smoothie," she said calmly, making Dib shudder and Zim scream out "NOT MY SQUEEDLYSPOOCH!"

Gaz growled again at Zim's annoying outburst when the room suddenly got a lot colder, and a breeze started up.

 _'Hey, I didn't do that,'_ Gaz thought.

The three turned to look at the table. Gaz's GS4 was now levitating a few inches off the table and its usual purple color was producing a pinkish glow. The other two devices were starting to quake and rattle.

"HEY!" Zim called out and pointed at the GS4. "That's built with cheap replication of Irken technology! This can't be! How'd you Earth-Filthies get your grimy hands on Irken technology!?" Zim screamed.

"Irken?" Dib asked. "You mean this whole time Gaz's rare GS4 has been a piece of altered and replicated Irken technology? Cool!"

"Not 'cool' Dib-Stink! It's extremely unstable!" Zim yelled. "You low-level humans aren't ready to handle the technologies of superior beings like Irkens!"

Gaz stopped listening to them and instead watched her GS4. It was shaking and producing a sound high enough to shatter the kitchen windows. Zim and Dib's ray guns were rattling and beginning to lift off the table too, so Gaz saw this as the perfect time to leave the room. She walked out as the boys continued to argue, not noticing the two devices had now joined with the GS4 and were pointing at them. The rays fired, each hitting one of them and the two nemeses disappeared.

Gaz walked back in after a bright pink light flashed. On the table was her GS4. Zim, Dib, and the guns were all gone. Gaz shrugged and picked back up her game. She was in the middle of a super awesome pig-killing level and she really wanted to get back to it.

She turned the device on, a little message flashing on the screen.

 _'An alternate version of the game has been installed. Please defeat the alternate version before continuing with regular levels.'_ The little screen said. Underneath was a _'Play Alternate Version'_ option and a _'Continue with Regular Levels'_ option. Gaz really wanted to get back to her level, so she clicked _'Continue with Regular Levels.'_ Another note popped up.

 _'Regular levels cannot be continued until the alternate version is completed.'_

A growl started deep in Gaz's throat. "CURSE YOOOOOOUUUUU!" She screamed, completely losing her composure. After a minute of screaming she mumbled "whatever" and clicked _'Play Alternate Version.'_

Instructions popped up on the screen. _'Destroy all other players without being killed by the Vampire Piggies,'_ it said. Gaz grumbled and pressed ' _Continue.'_

 **A/N: Please Review! I hope you like it. X)**

 **And don't forget to buy the damn comic on July 1** **st** **2015 on OniPress! You can rest assured I'm sure as heck buying one! And read this story whenever you're waiting for the next issue. XD**


	2. Chapter 2: Level Zero - Part One

**A/N: So I just posted the first chapter yesterday, and so far I've had next to NO SUPPORT! Thanks to Invader Johnny, who has SO FAR been the ONLY one to review and follow this story! Invader Johnny's been supportive for all my IZ works. (If you review, I'll put your name on here too...)**

 **I'm going to post another chapter now, much more action-packed than the last one, and Chapter 3 will be even better! It just gets more exciting from here. Hopefully, now that I'll have two chapters up, you guys might actually LOOK at this story.**

 **Please Review, Follow, Favorite, whatever. It would be GREATLY APPRECIATED because I DID put some work into this.**

 **So here it is…**

 ** _Chapter 2: Level Zero – Part One_**

Dib moaned and stood up. He looked around and spotted Zim on the ground a short distance away from him. Zim wasn't wearing his disguise anymore, which Dib thought was strange, but after quickly surveying that there was no one else around Dib decided that Zim's lack of disguise didn't really matter. After all, there was no one to expose him to.

Dib walked over and kicked the alien in the side. "Zim, get up," he said. The alien grumbled and shook his head, struggling into a standing position.

He looked around. "Where are we?" Zim asked. Dib looked at the surroundings too. It was a plain brown rocky environment with a completely black sky, and yet both boys could see their surroundings clearly.

"What's the light source?" Dib wondered. Zim didn't answer him, but also didn't admit that he didn't know.

A short distance away there was a hill that stood out from the rest of the area, which was completely flat except for a few boulders and the brown dead grass that stood up. Zim started for the hill, Dib close behind him and looking around nervously.

They made it to the top of the hill and looked down at the land beneath them. It was a cemetery, with rows and rows of gravestones, all cracked and covered in moss. A few dead trees stuck up here and there and the cemetery was surrounded by a six-foot-high black-metal fence with spikes chiseled at the top and curving, bending metal designs. Dib shuddered again.

"Did Gaz finally send us to that Nightmare World?" Dib wondered. "I don't remember her threatening that this time."

"Don't be silly," Zim said. "That's preposterous. Let's just see what's beyond the cemetery. We can head to the small wooden building," Zim said, pointing at a wooden shack on the other side of the cemetery. Zim started down the hill and Dib stumbled after him.

"Hey, Zim, maybe we should just go around the cemetery," Dib said as Zim approached the black fence.

"Why? It will only take longer if we go around," Zim said.

"I don't know. I mean, that cemetery is pretty spooky."

"Nothing scares the ALMIGHTY ZIM!" Zim laughed as he pulled out his PAK legs. He used them to walk easily over the fence and retracted them once he was on the other side. Dib sighed.

"Well fine, Zim, but I'm going to go around."

"But what if there's ghosts here?" Zim asked tauntingly. Dib considered.

"Well, it does look like the kind of place that would have ghosts." Dib gave in and decided to go through the cemetery. He walked over to one of the dead, leafless trees and climbed up. Once he was up he walked across a branch that reached over to the other side of the fence and jumped down into the cemetery.

Zim was already walking away, so Dib ran to catch up to him. They proceeded in between the rows of gravestones that protruded from the mounds of dirt. Dib stepped aside as a grave interfered his path, but Zim, having no knowledge of respect for the dead, walked right over the grave. Dib shook his head, never thinking that it could cause much harm, only that it was disrespectful. If only he'd known, Dib might have stopped the alien.

As soon as Zim had trampled over, the whole cemetery began to shake. The boys froze and wobbled with the effort of not falling down as the ground shook beneath them. Suddenly, from every grave in the cemetery, pigs began to rise. They floated up out of the dirt like ghosts, blood dripping from their snouts. Zim gagged, completely disgusted by the repulsive display.

Dib's eyes widened in shock. Somehow, he thought this looked familiar… and yet it was impossible. He'd never been in a situation quite like this before!

A few of the pigs attacked, knocking the boys over. Dib rolled back into a standing position and kicked a couple of the demon pigs back as they tackled him. Zim hadn't been as graceful when he fell to the ground, the pigs swarming him. He screamed for a moment, then remembered that he didn't have to disguise himself. There was no one else around. He could use all the Irken training he possessed to win without fear of exposing himself. Zim smiled, then grimaced under the weight of the pigs.

Dib fought off pigs and glanced over to where Zim was still swarmed. Dib thought for a moment that he might be dead and they may be feeding on his alien flesh, but when the pigs suddenly started to vibrate Dib pushed the thought aside. Zim suddenly burst out of the pile, pigs flying in different directions as Zim's outstretching PAK legs forced them off with tremendous force. Zim crouched into a fighting stance before lifting himself into the air on his spider legs. The mechanical limbs lashed out and struck the flying pigs as they advanced on the alien. Unfortunately, for every pig that Zim destroyed, three more would arise from the grave.

Dib screeched as he was suddenly tackled to the ground again, having been distracted by Zim's efforts. Dib clawed at the pigs to little effect. He looked up to Zim for help, seeing no other option, and realized that Zim was making a hasty retreat.

"ZIM, WAIT!" Dib called out. Zim didn't turn around, clearly not caring enough to stop and save the Big-Headed human. Dib thought quickly, then called out again. "ZIM! I know where we are!" The alien stopped in his retreat, but didn't turn around. Dib winced as a pig bit his arm, resulting in some oozing blood. "Zim! If you want to escape, you'll need me!" Zim growled deeply, like an angered animal, before turning and lashing out with his PAK legs at the pigs on top of Dib.

Before Dib could even stand, Zim leaned forward, gloved claw hands grasping Dib's arms, and lifted Dib away from the ground. Dib felt air swoosh past him as he was carried at a quick pace across the cemetery on Zim's PAK legs. With the added weight, Zim had to keep all four extra legs on the ground at all times to keep them up, which meant he couldn't spare an extra two to defend himself. He winced and let out a small gasp as a pig caught his antenna, snapping it. Dib looked up as he heard the snap and sharp intake of breath from the alien. Dib was stunned by the level of composure Zim managed to keep after having his most sensitive appendage snapped.

They quickly made it to the fence, only receiving a few more scratches from the pigs on the way, most of them being inflicted on Zim as Dib hung from the alien's grasp and was better protected by the metal legs moving quickly around him.

They made it to the fence and slowed down while trying to climb over due to the fact that Zim had to raise himself higher to keep the dangling Dib from getting caught. "Stupid Earth-Monkey," Zim said under his breath, cursing the fact that he needed Dib to tell him where they were.

Dib glanced up at Zim when he whispered the insult. Dib was surprised to hear an undertone of pain.

They made it over the fence and fell forward as one of Zim's PAK legs caught on the metal. They fell to the ground, Zim retracting the metal appendages to keep them from breaking, and to conserve his energy. Using them for such a long period of time and to fight with such force and quick movement was quickly very taxing on his small Irken body. Indeed, the prejudice towards small Irkens did begin with the fact that very few small Irkens could fight at all with their PAK legs because of the strain. It's why Zim didn't use them more often in his battles against Dib, on top of the fact that they would blow his cover.

The boys landed on the ground and quickly stood, whipping back around to face the fence and expecting the pigs to fly at them. To their relief, the pigs stopped at the edge of the fence and floated back to their graves.

 **A/N: I just Pre-Ordered the new Invader Zim comic. Super psyched about that.**

 **PLEASE REVIEW… or something. (-.-) Just a thumbs up, down, half-way?**


	3. Chapter 3: Level Zero - Part Two

**Chapter 3: Level Zero – Part Two**

 **A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far! Thanks to Reviewers:** **Historia70** **,** **** **, and ten times to** **Invader Johnny!** **And to** **Lookit (Guest)** **: whatever link you were trying to send me, it didn't come through. *Shrugs***

 **Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the story! And Please Review!**

Dib let out a deep sigh and turned to the alien.

"Alright filthy Dib-Human, tell Zim where we are." Zim said this quietly, for once, and Dib was surprised that Zim hadn't screamed it in a demanding tone, yelling angrily with dramatic movements. The scientist that Dib is, it only took a quick moment of analysis and deduction for Dib to conclude that Zim was probably not yelling because Zim heard by picking up vibrations in his antenna, so yelling right now would send strong, painful vibrations through his snapped antenna. On top of that, he probably wasn't flailing around because of his injuries.

"Are you sure we shouldn't fix you up first?" Dib asked quietly. Zim cocked an eyebrow.

"Why would you want to help me, Dib-Stink?" Dib reached down and tore some cloth from his overcoat. He brought the strip up to wrap Zim's broken antenna, but Zim flinched away untrustingly.

"I can't escape from here without you," Dib said. "You have your PAK legs, so you're the one who's most capable of fighting those things. We'll be more likely to survive if you aren't so badly hurt. Unfortunately, we need to work together." Dib went to wrap the antenna again, this time without interference from Zim, though the alien still grumbled under his breath and looked royally pissed off.

Dib observed the antenna carefully. It had its natural perpendicular bend at the end, but mid-antenna it had another sharp bend that made the antenna look like a 'Z' shape. It looked really painful.

Dib grimaced. "Hold still Zim. I'm going to have to pull it hard to snap it back into its original shape."

"How do you know it won't make things worse?" Zim asked.

"Well, I'm assuming that your antenna works similarly to a human bone, or the antenna of a bug. I know you have bones because of those x-ray goggles I had once, so I have to assume that having it heal crooked will just make it worse. I have to straighten it to make sure it heals right… right?" Zim grumbled.

"I think you're right, Dib-Stink. Just make sure you warn me before you–" Zim didn't get to finish. Dib, knowing how it was better to get it done quickly and unexpectedly, had yanked on Zim's antenna while the alien was talking. A loud snap was heard, followed by a scream from Zim. It was short, and Zim quickly bit his lip. "Why you filthy piece of…" Zim fought back tears for a moment.

"Sorry Zim, but it had to be done. It's better that way." Zim didn't respond, still muttering dirty Irken insults under his breath.

Dib gently wrapped it with the black strip of cloth from his overcoat and tied it. It held the antenna straight and kept it from drooping and bending. "Are there any other injuries that have to be looked at?" Zim shook his head.

"Just a few minor cuts. Nothing the amazing Invader Zim can't handle," he said a little more loudly than he had been speaking before, but still not at the normal volume Dib would have expected. "Now, filthy human, where are we?"

Dib took a deep breath. "We're in Gaz's Game Slave 4, in one of her games called Vampire Piggy Hunter. I know, stupid, right?" Zim considered this.

"It would make sense. The combination of my Irken technology, the Irken technology that was stolen for the gaming device, and your primitive earth junk–" Dib interrupted with a ' _hey'_ , but Zim continued without concern, "–could combine to have done this."

"Well, my device was a dimensional ray. Or at least, it should have been," Dib said.

"Yes, yes. My superior Irken technology made your inferior device actually work, and the nearest dimension it could find must have been inside the game. We got lucky that it didn't send us to a terrible, horrible world like the Room with a Moose. This stupid dimension isn't great either, but because it's connected to our own dimension, maybe we can get back somehow."

Dib nodded. "For now, I think we should beat the level. I've watched Gaz play before. Not this particular level, admittedly, but I did notice a few things. At the end of each level it shows her a screen where she can buy things, like weapons. I don't have a weapon, so I really need to get one."

"Buy weapons, you say?" Zim pondered this. "Yes, Zim could use a weapon as well, especially if I can't use my PAK legs to defend while I'm also carrying you, and I'd prefer to save my energy and use them as little as possible. What form of monies do we need to buy these items?"

"Monies?" Dib asked, then decided that now wasn't the best time to question Irken lifestyle. It could wait till another time. "Gaz said the transaction is for the number of pigs killed. The more Vampire pigs you kill, the more stuff you can buy, and later there will be harder enemies that will be worth more if you kill them, like five or ten regular pigs worth." Zim nodded.

"Fine. Then I assume we have to get to the wooden house. This time we can just go arou-" Zim stopped and looked at the wooden cabin. The game had changed the level, and the house now lay smack-dab in the middle of the cemetery. Zim sighed heavily in irritation. "Fine then. I assume we have to go to the wooden house in the _center_ of the cemetery to defeat this putrid level." Dib nodded.

"Yeah, probably. But how? Now it's surrounded by Vampire Pigs' graves! And for every pig we kill, more just come up!" Zim considered these words and looked back at the graves. A smirk spread across his face.

"Zim knows exactly what to do." He suddenly lifted Dib and clambered back over the fence. He dropped Dib on the ground and Dib landed as gracefully as he could into a crouched position. "Stay close to me, Dib-Stink. I may need you yet to escape this filthy place. Zim will protect you."

Dib nodded, thankful that he had something of worth to Zim… for now. Dib would just have to keep up the act of actually knowing how the game worked once he ran out of knowledge.

Zim turned back away from Dib and spread his PAK legs, two of them out in front of him to attack and two behind him, defending Dib from any attack. The pigs began to rise again, and at the two nearest graves Zim lashed out. Dib was surprised when Zim's two PAK legs each hit a gravestone, smashing them.

"Follow closely!" Zim ordered and ran forward. As they advanced, Zim made sure to smash all the nearest gravestones while his back legs hit any pigs flying too close. This way, Zim could gain the monies from killing the pigs, and stop more of them from popping up. If there was no gravestones left, then no more pigs could rise. It took a lot of force, and each time Zim swung his metal legs hard enough to smash the stone it sent a jolt down his spine, and the impact on the hard rocks vibrated the metal and shook his whole frame. Still, it was the only idea Zim had at the moment, and it seemed to be working. Besides, it only had to be endured until weapons could be achieved.

Dib ducked as Zim slashed his metal appendage horizontally over his head, hitting five advancing pigs. The cemetery was lying in a form of ruin, most of the gravestones nearby reduced to rubble. The center wasn't far now, and soon the hellish level would be over.

Zim slashed at more pigs, and this time two of them managed to dodge. Dib noticed and watched more closely. Zim slashed again as more advanced, this time missing three of five. Dib noticed that it was because Zim's movements were becoming slower, losing the powerful force and speed of before.

Zim mashed three more gravestones, this time letting out a yelp as his body shook with the impact. He'd lost too much energy, and his amazing Irken body could still only take so much. Zim grumbled; they'd have to run for it.

Without warning, Zim spun around and harshly grabbed Dib. He lifted them off the ground and ran using all four legs. He went as fast as possible, almost stumbling as his built-up momentum moved them forward and towards the ground almost faster than Zim could get his PAK legs in front of him, the key word there being _almost_. He managed to pull it off and the two boys fell forward at the last second, tumbling through an old wooden door and smashing it to the floor.

 **A/N: Please Review or I'll send a swarm of Vampire Piggies after you! (We've moved on to unrealistic threats… Joy.)**


	4. Chapter 4: Objectives

**_Chapter 4: Objectives_**

 **A/N: This one's a bit shorter and slower, but I promise the next one will be faster paced again.**

 **CupcakeTrue (Guest)** **: Thank you! I've been waiting for a good review on what I can improve! Gaz WILL be a part of the game later on, though not physically inside it like Dib and Zim are. Gaz will be a big part of the story at the end, but for most of the story she won't be very involved, though I might change that. It is Dib and Zim centered, after all. She should make her first big appearance in the game in Chapter 12 (There should be about 24 chapters by the end, though that can change too. I can't know for sure yet.) It is a fast-paced story, sorry that it's boring though. I know I'm not good with humor (I wish I was) but I'll do my best to work on it.**

 **And to another Guest (lookit): the link didn't come through. =|**

 **Alright, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and I'll update as soon as possible!**

They rolled for a moment before stilling on the concrete floor. Dib groaned a little and got up while Zim panted for a minute. Dib decided to just let him lay on the floor and catch his breath, so the Paranormal Investigator began investigating the surroundings. All the walls were dark brown wood, and the doorway showed nothing but gray beyond the frame, as if the cemetery never existed. Dib shrugged it off and began inspecting the walls more closely. He didn't know what he was looking for, a light switch maybe? He doubted there would be one.

Dib ran his hand across the walls, and only when he came to the furthest wall did the cabin seem to respond. A TV screen lit up, one that hadn't been there before. Dib walked over to it. Everything was written in Irken…

"Hey Zim?" Dib asked. "I can't read this." Zim groaned. He tilted his head to look at the screen, but didn't get up. He saw it all up-side-down, but had no problem reading it.

"The button in the bottom left corner will change the language," Zim said before laying his head back down and mumbling something about a "stupid human."

Dib nodded and clicked the button and was pleased to see the words change to English. Dib saw a scroll option and boxes of various items that had prices on them in "Pig Souls." Dib noticed that there was also boxes of items Zim could purchase, and since they were working together in this, Dib could see it too. He scrolled through until he saw the most expensive item. It cost a million Pig Souls, and Dib's eyes widened when he saw it. It was his dimension ray! And Zim's most expensive item was the ray he'd had in the real world, too!

Dib noticed an instructions bar.

"Hey Zim," Dib said. "Listen to this. The objective of the game is for us to achieve the most expensive items in our item purchase lists, AKA your Irken gun and my dimension ray, and to beat the final level. When we beat the final level, we can access the GS4's Irken system and combine it with the ray guns again! We can get out of here!"

Zim hummed his understanding faintly, which made Dib turn to look at him in concern. There was a transparent, pink-tinted liquid on the floor, pooled around the green alien as it poured out of him. Dib frowned deeply and looked back at the screen.

 _'I thought I saw it in here somewhere…'_ Dib thought to himself. Finally he found the item he wanted, and luckily it was cheap. He purchased it with all the Pig Souls he had, which was only ten anyways, and the item appeared in his coat pocket. Dib pulled it out and knelt next to Zim.

"Have you fond the way to the next level yet, Zim-Stink?" Dib cocked an eyebrow.

"Zim-Stink?" Dib asked. Zim looked at him in confusion, then did a slow face-palm. "You've lost too much blood, Zim. This will help you." Dib opened the glass vile he'd pulled from his pocket and examined the contents. He shrugged and dumped it onto Zim's upturned face.

Zim coughed and sat up suddenly, wiping the liquid from his face. "STUPID EARTH-BEAST!" Zim screamed at him, and Dib was relieved to have Zim back to normal. After all, it meant better chances of survival.

"Feel better?" Dib asked. Zim inspected himself and stood up. He unwrapped his antenna and was surprised to find it healed, and his blood no longer coated the floor.

"Hmmm. Yes, now that you mention it, Zim does feel much better. Good work, Dib-Stink!" Dib sighed.

"All I did was buy a healing potion from the store. You should probably look at what you can buy with the pig souls you have."

"Yes, yes, yes. I will do that." Zim waved his hand dismissively and stepped up to the TV screen. He hummed as he looked through the options before deciding on one. He tapped it and an item began appearing. He grabbed it out of the air and Dib saw it was a dark purple sword, similar in shape to what Dib imagined the Knights of the Round Table used to use.

Zim handed it to Dib, and as soon as Dib took it into his hands the blade turned dark blue, signifying that the transaction between players had been made.

"There, now I won't have to worry so much about protecting your worthless hide," Zim said before turning back to the screen and selecting another item.

Two black pistols appeared and Zim snatched them from the air. "Twin pistols?" Dib asked. Zim shrugged.

"It's the closest thing they had to a ray-gun that I could afford, though now I'm out of souls. It's fine though because I can upgrade it as we go through the game. And with the souls you collect you can strengthen your blade. We just have to be careful to spend enough to be able to get through each level, but not spend so much that we won't have enough by the end to buy the ray guns."

Dib thought for a moment. "Hey Zim, what if in the next level we just hang around for a few hours and destroy pigs as they come? That way we can just collect all the souls we need in one level." Zim hummed.

"Good point. We'll try it."

A door opened to the left and the boys walked through.

 **A/N: Sorry this one's so short. I promise the next one will be longer again.**

 **Not every level will have a TV Screen Shop for them to buy stuff at the end. This is the only chapter where the whole chapter is them buying stuff and viewing objectives. Call it a filler of you want.**

 **I hope you're all enjoying it! Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5: Level One - The Front Yard

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long since I've updated! (Like, exactly 1 month. Yikes. I hope that doesn't become the norm.)**

 **Well, the next chapter is here now, so yay! I'm supper sorry for the late updates, but between Nationals and Summer School (NOT because of failing classes, I promise!) and events with the family and all my other stories, stuff is complicated. Oh well.**

 **Anyways…. Enjoy!**

The boys re-emerged in another dark place. This time there were storm clouds above them and lightning cracked the sky. Zim jumped back, shivering at the thought that it might start raining. He hadn't bathed in paste today because there was no rain in the forecast.

Dib looked back at him. "It's alright. If it starts raining..." Dib stopped as a sudden beeping noise started up. It was in this moment that Zim completely freaked out.

"MY LIFE CLOCK!" Zim spun around in circles, trying to get a good look at his PAK. "But, But! I STILL HAVE MY PAK ON!"

Dib grabbed Zim by the arm and Zim raised his gun, threatening to shoot his big head.

"What have you done to me, DIB?! I thought you needed me?!"

Dib waved his hands in denial. "Woah, hey, I didn't do anything! I have a clock in my vision too! It's not your life clock." Zim squinted at him and lowered his gun.

"I think I understand," Zim said. "The game is threatening to kill us if we do not complete the levels in time. We now have nine minutes and twenty seconds. Let's hurry."

Zim ran forward, pistols in hand, and Dib followed after him. They came to a fence much like the one at the cemetery, except this one has a large arched opening with metal gates swinging in the wind faintly. Beyond the gate, atop a tall hill, was a purple old mansion that looked rather haunted. Above the gate, white neon words suddenly appear, floating in contrast with the dark sky above.

 _"Level One"_ the sign reads. Underneath it had instructions. Zim was surprised that the Irken system was now addressing him. _"Invader Zim,"_ it says. _"You and your slave must complete the game. Finish each level before the life clock runs out, and without letting your Health Points drop from 100 to zero."_

Zim growled. "You are Irken technology, and I am an Irken Invader! I demand that you release us!" Zim ordered. More white words appeared.

 _"I apologize, Invader Zim. I cannot comply with your wishes. Each average Vampire Pig has 10 Health Points."_ Zim growled again.

"Irken Device! Do as Zim commands you! Stop ignoring me!" The words continued, not recognizing Zim.

 _"Each Level will have a Level Boss, and each will have more Health Points than previous. Complete the game to escape."_

"Computer!" Zim commanded attention, but the white lettering disappeared.

"Hey! Release us! I command it!" Still, there was no response.

"Zim," Dib said. "We have to go. Time's running out. We have eight minutes."

Zim groaned. "Fine! Let's go, Dib-Filth!" Dib sighed at how irritated Zim had suddenly become.

 _'His temper can only make things worse,'_ Dib thought as they walked through a gate. Ten pigs appeared out of nowhere. Before Dib could even react, ten shots were fired and all ten pigs disappeared. Zim was looking furious, his gaze settled on the purple mansion. Another five pigs flew at them, all exploding as bullets shot through them, Zim's gaze never even leaving the mansion. _'I stand corrected,'_ Dib thought. He'd forgotten that Zim's temper only made him all the more deadly.

A few pigs tried to attack from behind, so Dib raised his sword and slashed at them. The first one he swung at didn't even slice because he hadn't used enough force, the pig's Health Bar only decreasing half way. He swung again harder, this time splitting the pig in two and having it disappear. His Pig Soul count went up as he sliced at more. It took force, but at least it was faster than beating them like in the last level, which Dib supposed had been level zero. Zim was still blowing through them, and they were already halfway to the mansion. Just as Dib thought this was going to be easy, there was a sudden _'click'_ sound that resonated multiple times.

Zim cursed, his guns clicking as he pulled the triggers. _'That's not good,'_ Dib thought. Zim dropped his guns and they disappeared before hitting the ground. He pulled out his PAK legs again and swung them at pigs, continuing to advance.

"Follow quickly, Dib-Stink! We don't have time anymore!" Dib nodded and rushed along too. The healing potion didn't appear to have restored Zim's energy fully, so Dib was left defending the rear with as much strength and speed as Dib could manage.

They approached the Mansion, only mere meters away from the splintered purple doors when the ground began to shake. A fist popped up from the dirt, breaking through the Earth and dragging along behind it the rest of a lumbering figure. It stood tall and sturdy, fat and powerful. Off of its back it reached and pulled a long blade that curved like the end of a scythe. Its stout pig face glared down at the two boys who stared high up at the towering hog.

Above the hog appeared more neon white lettering.

 _"Level One Boss: Hog Boss. Health points: 150."_

Zim cursed in a foreign language, taking a few steps back. Dib stared up with his mouth hanging open like an idiot.

"Dib, move!" Zim ordered angrily. The hog raised its blade and Dib stumbled backwards onto the ground. He flinched as the blade made a downward decent on him.

Zim, in an attempt to save the Dib and thus preserve his own life, thrust two of his PAK legs into the chest of the hog. The hog's health bar crept down some, its HP points decreasing to 90/100, but the hog didn't even flinch as some of its green blood spewed from the wounds. Instead, it stopped its downward thrust of the sword towards Dib and turned to look at Zim. It stuck it's sword into the ground and grabbed one of each of Zim's metal appendages with its meaty hands. Zim screeched as it pulled. It swung the little alien and slammed him against one of the walls of the Mansion. A loud _'crack'_ sound could be heard, followed by a mellow _'thump'_ as Zim fell to the ground. Zim tried to stand, but soon found it too difficult. He fell back against the wall of the mansion, staring up as the Hog Boss as it picked up its sword and approached the alien.

Zim struggled, still unable to stand, and Dib panicked. Snapping out of his daze, Dib grabbed his sword and advanced. He sliced at the Hog Boss's knees from behind, slicing the back of the knee cap and making it fall forward to the ground. Its HP dropped to 75/100.

Dib took the advantage given to him by Zim, and continued to attack it from behind while it was down. Dib sliced at the back of its neck and down its back. It roared, its health dropping to 55 HP. It stood and raged, slicing around blindly with its sword. The tip of its blade barely reached Dib and sliced the teen's arm as he retreated slightly. Dib hissed at the pain and grabbed at his arm, crimson blood seeping out of the wound.

The Hog Boss advanced in rage and swung at Dib. Dib ducked underneath the blow and put an upwards thrust into its abdomen. As the hog's HP dropped below 40, a dark pink light glowed. The hog transformed, its tusks growing longer and its blade extending. A dark aura emitted from it as it took a new form, trying its hardest to defend from death.

Dib blocked with his sword as the hog attacked. He dodged as another high-speed slice came at him. More cuts found their way onto Dib's skin, but none fatal yet. Still, Dib was losing energy.

"ZIM!" Dib called out. Zim looked up from where he was leaning on the wall heavily. "We need to work together!" Dib said. Zim grimaced and pushed off the wall. As soon as the support was gone, the alien fell back to the floor.

 _'I guess he can't help me,'_ Dib thought. _'And the hog still has almost half its health!'_

"Dib-Beast!" Zim yelled, regaining Dib's attention. "Lure the hog closer!" Dib did as he was told and ran to Zim's side. The hog followed, and Dib rolled back to the other side of the boss. It faced Dib, turning its back on Zim, and Zim jumped at the chance. He brought up his PAK legs and put the tips together in front of him. A blue light appeared at the tips, and before Dib knew what was going on, Zim shot a light blue beam. It zapped the hog, making it screech and flail. It dropped its blade, the sword disappearing before it could hit the ground. The Hog Boss's HP dropped to zero and the hog faded away. Dib sighed with relief. His Pig Soul count went up fifty as the Hog Boss died, and Dib assumed that Zim's count also went up.

"Let's hurry inside," Dib said, stopping by Zim to help the alien inside. The wooden doors swung open and creaked closed as they entered.

 **A/N: Well, I hope that was worth the wait! I'll update as soon as I can, I promise!**

 **Please Review!**


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